Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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CONTENT AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM OVER NETWORKS INCLUDING
THE INTERNET AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an Internet global network or
content authorization
system and method associated therewith, and more particularly to an Internet
authorization system
and method where original recordings are embedded with, for example, an
Internet or content
authorization flag for the purpose of preventing unauthorized use or
distribution of proprietary data
on or via the Internet oi- other networked configuration,
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The proliferation of consumer devices used for recording and play back of pre-
recorded
signals extends far beyond tape recorders and television. Consumer devices now
include high quality
media, such as digital audio tapes (DATs), compact discs (CDs), digital video
discs (DVDs), and
personal computers, (PCs). Along with the rise in prevalent use of these high
technology devices,
however, is an increase in the unauthorized use and copying of copyrighted
works such as audio,
video and the like, comprised of signals, such as analog or digital signal,
particularly on the Internet.
Consequently, there is a growing need to protect the proprietary rights of
copyright owners,
for example, that distribute their works such as products and/or services, in
electronic form. Copyright
owners include entertainment and education service providers, such as music
recording and software
industry companies. Their products and/or services include music, music
videos, movies, games,
educational information, and other audio or video information applications.
Each of these service
providers distribute a combination of audio and/or video, or other data
through a network, including
satellite, cable and networks such as the Internet, via one or more Internet
Service Providers (ISPs),
Moreover, this data is generally stored on temporary or permanent storage
media that is
distributed through physical or electronic channels. Pllysically, the data is
generally distributed
through retail and point-of-sale stores and outlets. Electronically, the data
is distributed over the
Internet and intranets (i.e. electronic mail). These storage media include
magnetic tapes (audio and
video cassettes), computer floppy disks, and high-quality media, such as CDs,
DVDs, PCs and laser
discs.
Today's problem is actualized when proprietary data, such as music, is
accessed and/or
retrieved and/or copied and/or distributed over the Internet without the
service provider's permission.
This unauthorized use of proprietary data presents an on-going problein for
service providers: namely,
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significantly reduced sales. Pirate copying over the Internet has been
estimated as costing the
music and software industries billions of dollars each year in lost revenues.
Prior art devices have not solved this problem. U. S. Patent No. 4,595,950,
describes a
method for processing a coded information signal, which may comprise video
and/or audio
information, that is eventually supplied to a television. Referring to Prior
Art Figure 1, an
information signal INF, which is transmitted in coded form CINF from a signal
source RC to a
signal receiver 4,5, is decoded at the receiver 4, 5, and at the same time
marked MM by the
introduction of an identification information ID, which is characteristic of
the receiver or its
possessor. The signal from a video disc RC carrying a coded program is decoded
and marked
before it is supplied to a television set 6.
U. S. Patent No. 4,972,471, describes a method of encoding a given recorded
signal, made
up of a host of frequencies, comprising modifying the recorded signal to
selectively alter in a
known manner a portion of the recorded signal to produce a machine
recognizable start code. The
machine recognizable start code is generally imperceptible to normal human
recognition when the
recorded signal is played in its intended manner. Referring to Prior Art
Figure 2, which gives an
overall view of the method of encoding, the audio signal 10 is processed
through a filter and
certain scanning frequencies 11 are separated from the signal for separate
processing. The
scanning frequencies 11 first undergo a review 12 to locate a proper location
within the signal to
be encoded by placing of a start code.
Once an appropriate location within the signal is determined, the audio signal
is replayed,
and at the appropriate location, the start code is introduced by means of a
device 13. Digitizing
of the signal is carried out at 14 and provides a recognizable fingerprint 16.
Thus, in recording of
the signal, a"fingerprint"is generated, a start code is introduced into the
audio signal, and the
signal is recorded at 18, The processing of the scanning frequencies
introduces a certain fixed
delay which is compensated for by delaying of the other frequencies at device
20.
U. S. Patent No, 5,319,735, describes a system for embedding a code signal in
an audio
signal in a manner such that the composite signal is not readily
distinguishable from the original
audio signal by listening, and in a manner such that the code signal cannot be
readily removed or
obscured without simultaneously degrading the quality of the audio signal.
Referring to Prior Art Figure 3, a sequence of code symbols to be embedded in
an audio
signal is derived as the output of an Error Control Encoder 25. The resulting
sequence of code
symbols is further encoded by means of a Spread Spectra Modulator 26 to
produce a code signal
that represents the sequence of code symbols. The code signal is then modified
by means of a
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Code Signal Shaper 27 to produce a modified code signal with frequency
component levels. The
dynamically modified code signal is then combined with the original audio
signal by means of a
Signal Combiner 28 to produce a composite audio signal, which is then recorded
on a recording
medium, such as a DAT, or is otherwise subjected to a transmission channel.
WO 9831010, describes an apparatus for monitoring and preventing unauthorized
copying
of digital data. The apparatus includes a recording device for recording
digital data on a first
storage medium, and a reading device for reading from a second storage medium.
A computer,
which is connected to the recording device and the reading device over a bus,
is programmed to
execute pre-mastering instructions, as shown in Prior Art Figure 4, to enable
reading of data from
the second storage medium to record the data on the first storage medium.
The computer in WO 9831010 includes instructions for inhibiting copying of the
data
when the data is subject to copyright, and includes the detection of a notice
of copyright in the
data, The pre-mastering instructions are inhibited from reading the data,
which includes the
copyright notice, so as to prevent any recording of the data on the first
medium.
However, none of the prior art devices offer protection against unauthorized
use of
proprietary data over, for example, the Internet. That is, I have determined
that there are unique
considerations relating to authorizing appropriate use of data over networks,
such as the Internet,
that have not heretofore been considered.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an Internet or content
authorization
system for controlling access to, and use of, proprietary data that is
distributed electronically, With
current technology, there also remains a need to provide a system for encoding
original recordings
with an authorization flag whose existence will alleviate the problems of
unauthorized activity of
propriety data, such as certain Internet uses, without significantly affecting
the quality of the
proprietary data.
The authorization system, I have determined, will advantageously allow
selective control
of differing kinds of authorized uses that may be made. For example, the
authorization system will
allow no copying, a limited number of copying, or an unlimited number of
copying. Similarly, the
authorization system will also allow selective control of single
listening/viewing, a limited number
of listening/viewing, an unlimited number of listening/viewing, or multiple
listening/viewing.
In addition, the authorization system advantageously provides the capability
to identify
the source of an unauthorized use of proprietary data on a network, such as
the Internet. The
present invention provides a system having the above and other advantages.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
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Accordingly, a feature and advantage of the pi-esent invention is to provide a
novel and usefiil
authorization system in which the above disadvantages are minimized,
A more specific feature and advantage of the present invention is to provide a
system foi-
encoding original recordings with an authorization system, which among other
things, may solve the
problems of unauthorized activity of proprietary data signals over networks,
such as the Internet.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an Internet
authorization
system that is capable of identifying the existence and source of unauthorized
use and copying of
proprietary data via the Internet.
The Internet authorization flagging system of the present invention is
compatible with the
"Multi-Media Copy Management System" described in U.S. Patent No. 5,719,937,
incorporated
herein by reference. The present invention is also compatible with other
methods for processing or
embedding coded signals as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,595,950, 4,972,471,
5,319,735, which
are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, the present invention may
be used in combination
with a copyright flag as described in PCT application WO 9831010, also
incorporated herein by
reference.
In one aspect of the invention, an Internet authorization flag can be recorded
on a recording
medium or transmitted electronically, by transforming the flag, using a spread
spectrum technique,
into a modified code signal representing digital information, in such a way
that the modified code
signal can be combined with an original audio signal to form a composite audio
signal. This
composite audio signal is not easily differentiable from the original audio
signal by ordinary listening.
In other words, the modified code signal and the audio signal are combined to
provide a composite
audio signal in which the authorization flag is embedded in the audio as, or a
function of, the
modified code signal.
More specifically, the digital information (containing, for example, the
Internet authorization
flag) may, in one alternative, be represented by a sequence of code symbols,
which in turn is
represented by a pseudo-random number sequence that is detectable by a matched
filter. Each
composite audio signal can now be recorded or subjected to a transmission
channel, which process
may distort and/or modify the composite audio signal. The digital information
can, nevertheless, be
recovered from the distorted or modified composite audio signal by a method
that is a compliment
or inverse of the method that produced the composite audio signaL In this way,
the recovered digital
information is reliable without any degrading of the quality of the composite
audio signal or original
information.
To achieve these features and advantages, the present invention provides an
Internet
authorization system for preventing Internet access and unauthorized use of
proprietary data over the
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Internet. The system comprises: (a) a plurality of interconnected general
purpose computers that are
networked together in at least one of an intranet and Intei-net ari-angement;
(b) encoding means for
encoding an Internet autliorization flag, indicating authorized Internet
access to proprietary data
stored on a media, with at least one of a continuously and periodically
encoded sequence, and
optionally compressing the encoded Internet authorization flag; (c) media
storage means for storing,
in a media, proprietary data and the encoded Internet authorization flag; (d)
a network system means
for distributing the media to at least one of an Internet service provider, a
network provider, a site
provider and an authorized broker of the media; (e) searching means for
searching data, contained
on at least one of the Internet, intranet and network, for existence of an
Internet authorization flag
when a user accesses a web site on at least one of the Internet, intranet and
network; and (f) printing
means for printing a report indicating a location of each unauthorized
Internet use of the media not
containing an Internet authorization flag,
Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a content
authorization system for
at least one of preventing content access and unauthorized use of proprietary
data over at least one
of a global network, local network and the Internet. The content authorization
system comprises: (a)
a plurality of at least one of workstations and coinputers, each including a
first storage device for
storing first data therein; and (b) a network connectable to said plurality of
at least one of workstations
and computers. The network includes a second storage device for storing second
data thereon. The
network is managed by or interconnectable with at least one of an Internet
service provider, a network
provider, a site provider, and an authorized broker or distributor of the
proprietary data. The network
stores proprietary data including at least one authorization data flag
indicating at least one
authorization level indicative of authorized usage of the proprietary data for
at least one of the
network and plurality of at least one of workstations and computers,
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A further embodiment of the present invention includes a method of using an
Internet
authorization system for preventing Internet access and unauthorized use of
proprietary data over the
Internet. The method includes the steps of: (a) encoding an Internet
authorization flag, indicating
authorized Internet access to proprietary data stored on a media, with at
least one of a continuously
and periodically encoded sequence, and optionally compressing the encoded
Internet authorization
flag; (b) storing, in a media, the proprietary data and the encoded Internet
authorization flag; (c)
distributing the media to at least one of an Internet service provider, a site
provider, a network
provider, and an authorized broker of the media; (d) providing access to the
proprietary data stored
on the media responsive to the Internet authorization flag indicating
authorized Internet access to the
proprietary data; (e) searching data, contained on at least one of the
Internet, intranet and network,
for existence of the Internet authorization flag when a user accesses a web
site on either the Internet,
intranet and network; and (f) printing a report indicating a location of each
unauthorized Intei-net use
of said media not containing an Internet authorization flag.
Another process embodiment of the present invention includes a method of using
a network
authorization system for preventing network access and unauthorized use of
proprietary data over the
network. The method includes the steps of: (a) encoding a network flag,
indicating authorized
network access to proprietary data stored on a media, with at least one of a
continuously and
periodically encoded sequence, and optionally compressing the encoded network
authorization flag;
(b) storing, in a media, the proprietary data and the encoded network
authorization flag; (c)
distributing media to at least one of a network service provider, a site
provider and an authorized
broker of the media; (d) providing access to the proprietary data stored on
the media responsive to
the network authorization flag indicating authorized network access to the
proprietary data; (e)
searching data, contained on at least one of the Internet, intranet and
network, for existence of an
Internet authorization flag when a user accesses a web site on at least one of
the Internet, intranet and
network; and (f) printing a report indicating a location of each unauthorized
network use of the media
not containing a network authorization flag.
A further embodiment of the present invention includes a method for using a
content
authorization system for preventing electronic access and unauthorized use of
proprietary data from
a first destination to a second destination. The method includes the steps of:
(a) encoding a content
authorization flag, indicating authorized electronic access to proprietary
data stored on a media, with
at least one of a continuously and periodically encoded sequence, and
optionally compressing the
content authorization flag; (b) storing, in a media, the proprietary data and
the encoded cotltent
authorization flag; (c) distributing the media to at least one of an Internet
service provider, network
service provider, site provider, and an authorized broker of the media; (d)
providing access to the
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proprietary data stored on the media responsive to a content autliorization
flag indicating authorized
electronic access to the proprietary data; (e) searching data, contained on at
least one of the Intei-net,
intranet and network, for existence of the Internet authorization flag when a
user accesses a web site
on at least one of said Internet, intranet and network; and (f) printing a
report indicating a location
of each unauthorized content use of the media not containing a content
authorization flag.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of
the invention in
order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better
understood, and in order that the
present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of
course, additional features of
the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the
subject matter of the claims
appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in
detail, it is to
be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the
details of construction and to
the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
and carried out in
various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology employed herein are
for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon
which this
disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of
other structures, methods
and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It
is important, therefore,
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar
as they do not depart
from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent
and Trademark
Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and
practitioners in the art
who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine
quickly from a cursory
inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the
application. The abstract is neither
intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the
claims, nor is it intended
to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
The scope of the invention, together with other objects of the invention,
along with the
various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out
with pai-ticularity in the
claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure, For a better
understanding of the invention,
its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,
reference should be had to the
accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which illustrate preferred
embodiments of the
invention.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a conventional method for processing a coded information
signal,
Figure 2 shows a conventional method of encoding a given recorded signal.
Figure 3 shows a conventional method for embedding a code signal in an audio
signal.
Figure 4 shows conventional software instructions for monitoring and
preventing
unauthorized copying of digital data.
Figure 5 shows a block diagram of a data stream with a continuously encoded
sequence that
is compatible with the present invention.
Figure 6 shows a block diagram of a data stream with a periodically encoded
sequence that
is compatible with the present invention.
Figure 7 shows an authorization usage file header compatible with the present
invention.
Figure 8 shows an exploded view of the authorization usage file header
compatible with the
present invention.
Figure 9 shows an alternative method of encoding an Internet authorization
flag of the
present invention.
Figure 10 shows a schematic of the monitoring process of the Internet
authorization system
of the present invention.
Figure 11 shows a block diagram of a computer used for implementing the
computer
processing in accordance with a computer implemented embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 12 illustrates a block diagram of the internal hardware of the computer
of Figure I 1,
Figure 13 illustrates a block diagram of an alternative computer of a type
suitable for carrying
out the present invention.
Figure 14 illustrates a flow chart of the monitoring process of the Internet
authorization
flagging system of the present invention.
Figure 1.5 illustrates a flow chart of a user's access in the monitoring
process of the Internet
authorization flagging system of the present invention.
Notations and Nomenclature
The detailed descriptions that follow may be presented in terms of program
procedures
executed on a computer or network of computers. These procedural descriptions
and representations
are the means used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the
substance of their work
to others skilled in the art.
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A procedure is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence
of steps
leading to a desired result. These steps are those requiring physical
manipulations of pliysical
quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of
electrical or magnetic
signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared and otherwise
manipulated. It
proves convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer
to these signals as bits,
values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. It should
be noted, however, that
all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate
physical quantities and are
merely convenient labels applied to these quantities.
Further, the manipulations performed are often referred to in terms, such as
adding or
comparing, which are commonly associated with mental operations performed by a
human operator.
No such capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in most
cases, in any of the
operations described herein which form part of the present invention; the
operations are machine
operations. Useful machines for performing the operation of the present
invention include general
purpose digital computers or similar devices.
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing these
operations. This
apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purpose or it may
comprise a general purpose
computer as selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored
in the computer. The
procedures presented herein are not inherently related to a particular
computer or other apparatus.
Various general purpose machines may be used with programs written in
accordance with the
teachings herein, or it may prove more convenient to construct a more
specialized apparatus to
perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of
these machines will appear
from the description given.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the particular embodiment of the system of the present invention described
herein, the
Internet authorization system consists of, or includes, an Internet
authorization notice in the form of
a flag. This flag is embedded in each original recording at the time of
manufacture, such that a
primary feature of the system is to prevent Internet, or other, access and use
of any original recording
that does not contain an Internet or content authorization flag.
Any source material that has at least a single audio channel can take
advantage of the present
invention. Additionally, the distribution format is not limited, and can
include various means as
discussed herein.
Moreover, while many of the various processing steps to be described may be
performed by
analog circuitry, these steps may alternatively be performed by digital
techniques, such as those
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conventionally implemented in special purpose digital signal processing
integrated circuits or liigh
speed micro-computers. Thus, while various components or steps of the metliod
of the present
invention are represented by separate blocks in diagrams in the drawings,
these steps are preferably
implemented by suitable programming of a digital processor or other processor.
Each authorization flag can be embedded using known embedding/encoding
methods, which
is compatible with the present invention. Encoding may be accomplished by
adding, for example,
an Internet authorization flag to a digital or analog master tape or digital
stream, which may be
compressed or uncompressed. The Internet authorization flag may be embedded in
digital format,
for instance, as a code symbol or sequence of code symbols into a data source,
such as a master audio
signal. Generally, flag data can be embedded on either a continuous or
periodic basis.
Figure 5 illustrates a block diagram of a data stream with a continuously
encoded sequence
that may be compatible with an Internet authorization flag of the present
invention. According to this
embodiment, the data stream 30 consists of a master audio layer 31 and a flag
data layer 32. Time
increases from left to right. The flag data layer 32 may carry a plurality of
adjacent Internet
authorization flags 33-43. Alternatively, standard Internet flags 33-43 may be
represented by one
continuous flag within the flag data layer 32.
Figure 6 illustrates a block diagram of a data stream with a periodically
encoded sequence
that may also be compatible with an Internet authorization flag of the present
invention. According
to this embodiment, the data stream 50 consists of a master audio layer 51 and
a flag data layer 52,
which may carry a plurality of fixedly or variably spaced Internet
authorization flags 53, 54.
Thus, using conventional spread spectrum techniques, a master audio signal can
be modified
and combined with an original audio signal (e.g., music) to form a composite
signal, which may be
stored on media, such as a cassette, CD, DVD, electronic audio/video files, or
the like. Alternatively,
the composite signal may be transmitted over a communication network, such as
the Internet, other
networks, or intranets.
In another embodiment of the invention, encoding may be accomplished by adding
an
authorization usage header, of specified length, at the beginning of each
digital or analog master tape
or digital stream. Referring to Figure 7, each digital stream containing music
201 is preceded by an
authorization usage file header 200, which may include, for example, between
64 to 128 bits of
information. Of course, any number of suitable bits of information may be
used.
An exploded view of the authorization usage file header 200 is shown in Figure
8. Header
200 includes one or more digital indicators pertaining to: (1) a copyright
flag 202, used to identify
whether a music is subject to copyright; (2) an Internet or content
authorization flag 203, for
determining whether music is authorized for Internet or other network
activity; (3) Internetlcontent
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usage combinations 204, for determining the variety of permissible uses of
music, such as listening,
distribution and/or copying; (4) decryption keys 205, for locking and
unlocking access to the music;
and (5) reserved space 206 for future digital indicators. Additionally, header
200 is compatible with
conventional electronic commerce payment systems, for facilitating and
determining user payment
over the Internet or other network.
Alternatively, as shown in Figure 9, encoding may be accomplished by
interspersing digital
indicators for copyright and Internetlcontent authorization flags 202, 203,
throughout music 201, in
addition to adding flags 202, 203, in the authorization usage file 200 at the
beginning of a music file
header.
It is important that each optionally coded signal, which is modified or
applied to the content
of an original audio signal, satisfy certain threshold criterion; namely that
code modification occurs
in a manner that does not impair the intended quality of the signal; that the
resulting composite signal
is inaudible, distinctive, not easily erased or deleted, and is easily
recoverable. This criterion applies
to alternative embodiments of the invention in which a media or electronic
file may contain, in
addition to an audio data signal, one or more video signals (e.g., movies,
music videos, etc.).
Preferably, the encoding process will occur before the final product or media
(e.g., a music
CD, music video, movie video, or an electronic file of the above, etc.) is
mass produced and
distributed. Referring to Figure 10, after the encoding process is complete,
as at 55, a record
manufacturing company produces and distributes the media, such as music CDs,
to, for example,
Internet Service Providers, (ISPs), or other network service providers, who
copy the data, such as
music, onto their web site 56. Through web site 60 of each authorized ISP,
music copied from each
authorized CD is accessible on the Internet 57.
In carrying out the invention, for example, an ISP is provided wit11 computer
software that
is capable of proactively monitoring music being accessed on the Internet.
This encrypted software,
which is essential for user access to the music file supplied to the user,
contains a monitoring
mechanism for determining the types of uses, such as whether a user is
listening, recording or copying
music. In other words, the software monitors music use by looking at the
Internet flag authorization
level of each user and permitting only those activities a user's authorization
level allows.
An ISP's software is capable of searching the Internet (including chat rooms,
etc,) and
detecting all data packets that contain predetermined data, such as music, and
further contains an
Internet authorization flag. Tracking is accomplished, for example, using a
web crawler or manually
at the ISP level. Other techniques may also be used. When a search detects the
predetermined data
that does not contain an Internet authorization flag, one of two scenarios may
occur: (1) a repoi-t
would be issued indicating the location of unauthorized use, such as the
domain server address, a
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user's modem telephone number, the user's home or other unique identification;
or (2) some specific
action may be taken.
In the event that music or other predetermined data requiring authorized
access thereto is
transmitted as an encrypted message over the Internet or other network,
decryption is required, using
conventional techniques. One conventional decryption technique is to transmit
each audio signal with
some form of a header. Once the signal is decrypted, then a determination can
be made whether the
music is authorized.
A user or receiving party desiring to access music over the world wide web,
will access an
authorized broker or ISP domain site 56 on the Internet. That is, a legitimate
chain of use begins with
an Internet Service Provider or broker 59 that is authorized to provide
certain music on the Intemet,
and for which a royalty is paid according to the number of hits that the
ISP/broker receives for the
music. On the receiving end, the amount of royalty a user pays when accessing
music from an
authorized ISP or broker 59 could be dependent on the level of authorization
that a user desires.
While the above discussion has discussed an example where the predetermined
data comprises music,
other types of data may also be used.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an Internet or content
authorization
flag contains differing values, reflecting varying levels of authorization.
Each level of authorization
essentially dictates specified Internet or network uses of a musical recording
or other predetermined
data, such as whether a user could listen to the music, copy the music, or how
many multiple copies
can be made.
There are several types of control for each level of authorization associated
with an
authorization flag that is designed to control user access to a data or
musical recording. A basic
mechanism of one embodiment, at the recipient's end, is encryption of the file
and payment
mechanisms that unlocks the file and enables a user to do certain things with
the data or music.
Encryption mechanisms will control whether a user is granted access to the
music file, Payment
mechanisms will control what type of access is permitted, such as whether a
user may listen only to
the music, or whether a user may copy music to the Internet, to a local
computer, or to a local area
network. (Encryption and payment mechanisms on the Internet are well known.)
Even if a file may
be stored on a user's hard drive, it is optionally and advantageously stored
in encrypted form, and
without the key available to decrypt the file, there would be playback control
and/or prevention
without proper authorization.
So depending on the level of authorization that a user purchases, either
directly from an ISP's
web site 56 or from an authorized broker 59, a user can obtain different types
of Internet uses for
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13
music or other data. Internet uses may include 'listens once', 'listens
twice', 'do not copy', 'copy
once', 'copy twice', 'copy thrice', 'multiple listenei-s', 'download',
'distribute', etc.
One level of authorization may allow a user to pay one rate for just
listening. Another level
of authorization may control the number of copies a user can make of a musical
recording. One basic
mechanism for allowing copy control involves incorporating a counter into the
ISP-provided software,
which does the certification process of verifying each user and verifying that
payment was made.
For instance, if a user is authorized to make one copy only and attempts to
make another
copy of a particular music, the software counter inspects that part of the
encryption zone and verifies
that payment was received for one copy and that one copy was made. Once this
information is
verified, the software prevents a user from making additional unauthorized
copies of that music.
Additionally, the software may be tamper-resistant such that breaches to the
software is detectable.
In addition to Internet access control, another usefulness of embedding
Internet authorization
flag is the ability to track distribution of music on the Internet. The
application of a coded
identification signal, via the Intemet authorization flag, to the genuine
content of an original recording
serves to establish its source and ownership. Since each original recording is
embedded with such
an Internet authorization flag, a search for the flag's existence would
provide an important legal or
other tracing 'hit' when a user accesses an Internet Service Provider's web
site 56 and downloads the
information, for instance. Thus, Internet tracking is triggered when a'hit'
occurs via a hot link.
Alternatively, the Internet authorization flag may be used in combination with
a copyright
flag, which may also be embedded in an original audio signal. Preferably, both
copyright and
Internet authorization flags can be embedded signals. Thus, each musical
recording will contain both
flags, or at least an Internet authorization flag, at the time the musical
recording is uploaded onto the
Internet for transmission.
There is a distinction between a copyright flag and an Internet authorization
flag. The
copyright flag does not provide any information as to use of the copyrighted
work. It merely indicates
that the music is a copyrighted work. However, an Internet flag basically
indicates that a user is
licensed to place, access and/or transmit an original musical recording on the
Internet in a
predetermined manner.
In an alternative embodiment, which typifies physical distribution channels,
as at 60, a user
who receives a musical recording containing an Internet authorization flag,
could receive a special
tape or CD from the recording company through the mail. This tape or CD would
be configured
differently from other tapes or CD's sold in retail stores, because the user
would be told that the tape
or CD contains special flags for Internet use, making the user an authorized
Internet user.
Consequently, the user would be allowed to place the inusic on the Intei-net
by the existence of the
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14
Internet authorization flag embedded in the musical recording, and by the use
of the special CD
configured to allow specified uses (i.e. copying) from/to the Internet.
Figure 11 is an illustration of a computer 58 used for implementing the
computer pi-ocessing
in accordance with a computer implemented embodiment of the present invention.
The procedures
described above may be presented in terms of program procedures executed on,
for example, a
computer or network of computers.
Viewed externally in Figure 11, computer 58 has a central processing unit
(CPU) 68 having
disk drives 69, 70. Disk drives 69, 70 are merely symbolic of a number of disk
drives that might be
accommodated by computer 58. Typically, these would include a floppy disk
drive, as at 69, a hard
disk drive (not shown), and a CD ROM or digital video disk, as indicated by
the slot at 70. The
number and type of drives varies, typically with different computer
configurations. Disk drives 69,
70 are, in fact, options, and for space considerations, may be omitted from
the computer system used
in conjunction with the processes described herein.
Computer 58 also has a display 71 upon which information is displayed. The
display is
optional for the central computer used in conjunction with the system
described herein. A keyboard
72 and a pointing device 73, such as mouse 73, will be provided as input
devices to interface with
central processing unit 68. To increase input efficiency, keyboard 72 may be
supplemented or
replaced with a scanner, card reader, or other data input device. The pointing
device 73 may be a
mouse, touch pad control device, track ball device, or any other type of
pointing device.
Alternatively, referring to Figure 13, computer 58 may also include a CD ROM
reader 95
and CD recorder 96, which are interconnected by a bus 97 along with other
peripheral devices 98
supported by the bus structure and protocol, Bus 97 serves as the main
information highway
interconnecting other components of the computer. It is connected via an
interface 99 to computer
58.
Figure 1.2 illustrates a block diagram of the internal hardware of the
computer of Figure 11.
CPU 75 is the central processing unit of the system, performing calculations
and logic operations
required to execute a program. Read only memory (ROM) 76 and random access
memory (RAM) 77
constitute the main memory of the computer.
Disk controller 78 interfaces one or more disk drives to the system bus 74.
These disk drives
may be floppy disk drives such as 79, or CD ROM or DVD (digital
video/versatile disk) drives, as
at 80, or internal or external hard drives 81. As previously indicated, these
various disk drives and
disk controllers are optional devices,
A display interface 82 permits information from bus 74 to be displayed on the
display 83.
Again, as indicated, display 83 is also an optional accessory for a central or
remote computer in the
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communication network, as are infrared receiver 88 and transmitter 89.
Communication with etei-nal
devices occurs using cominunications port 84.
In addition to the standard components of the computer, the computer also
inciudes an
interface 85, which allows for data input through the keyboard 86 or pointing
device, such as a mouse
87.
Conventional processing system architecture is more fully discussed in
Corrtnuter
Organization and Architecture, by William Stallings, MacMillan Publishing Co.
(3rd ed. 1993).
Conventional processing system network design is tnore fully discussed in Data
Network Design, by
Darren L. Spohn, McGraw-Hill, Inc. (1993). And conventional data
communications is more fitlly
discussed in Data Communications Principles, by R.D. Gitlin, J.F. Hayes and S.
B. Weinstain,
Plenum Press (1992), and in The Irwin Handbook of Telecommunications, by James
Harry Green,
Irwin Professional Publisiiing (2nd ed. 1992).
Figure 14 illustrates aflow chart of the monitoring process of the Internet
authorization
flagging system of the present invention. The process begins at box 100 where
an lnternet
authorization flag is embedded onto a media. At box 101, the media is
distributed to an ISP or
authorized broker, which loads the media onto its domain web site, as
indicated in box 102. Using
software capable of detecting data packets containing music, an ISP searches
the Internet for music
data packets, as at box 103. At box 104, the software determines whether each
packet contains an
Internet authorization flag. If a flag exists, Internet use is authorized, as
at box 108. If a flag does not
exist in the music data packet, a determination query is made as to whether
specific action is taken,
as at box 105. If so, specific action is initiated, as at box 107. If not, a
report is issued indicating the
location of unauthorized Internet access, as at box 106.
Figure 15 illustrates a flow chart.of a user's access in the monitoring
process of the Internet
authorization flagging system of the present invention. This process begins
with a user accessing an
ISP's web site 60 for a desired music. (Box 109). Depending on lhe kind of
Internet music use, a user
requests a desired level of Internet authorization, which is reflected in a
specified value of the Intemet
authorization flag. (Box 110). Upon selecting a desired music use, a user pays
for the corresponding
Inteniet autliorization level, (box 111), and receives the desired option of
pt-edetel-mined
authorization, which may be 'listen only' (box 112). 'record only' (box 113),
'record once' (box 114),
'multiple listening' (box 115), or the like (e.g. transmit for redistribution
or sale, multiple recording,
etc.). Only those Internet uses a user's authorization level allows will be
permitted.
Although the invention has been described in connection with various specific
embodiments,
those skilled in the art recognize that various adaptations and modification
may be made without
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departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the
claims. For example, the
description above has primarily been directed to audio information
applications of the invention.
However, other applications of the present invention may be directed to video
information
applications, such as movies, music videos, and other entertainment and
educational videos.
Additionally, distribution of music over the Internet may involve multiple
brokers and multiple
payment mechanisms. Use of the present invention is not limited to the above-
mentioned applications.
The present invention may be generally used for the protection of information
carrying signals or
software of any kind that may be copied without authorization.
Further, while the present invention has discussed examples of specific
authorization levels,
other authorization levels may be used as the predetermined authorization
level of the present
invention.
The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the
detailed
specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all
such features and
advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention. Furthei-, since
numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in
the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction illustrated and described
and, accordingly, all suitable
modifications and equivalence may be resorted to, falling within the scope of
the invention.
